When did you first become interested in glass?

I have always been a creator of things. I taught ceramics and other crafts full time for 10 years and then made beaded jewelry for another 10 while doing the show circuit. Five years ago my best friend died at the age of 48 (cancer) and I was in a very dark place in my life. I gave myself an intro to glass fusing class as a 50th birthday gift and it changed my life. It was like a coming home for me and I developed a passion for the glass that was unlike anything else I had ever done.

What do you like best about what you do?

I love that I can work from home in my sweats any time I want to! I love putting on some favorite music and just creating and experimenting with new colors and techniques. I love being excited enough to want to go to work each day. Opening the kilns each day is like Christmas morning! I love sharing my love for the glass with my 3-1/2 year old granddaughter Natasha, who is already hooked on helping me in the studio. Watch out, 6 month old Cameron, you'll be next! I love having fresh brewed iced tea any time I want it and I love my chocolate stash that I don't have to share. Most of all, I love selling my work!

Is there a pattern in the way you select materials? In the way you use color, texture or light?

At any given time I have most, if not all, of the Bullseye colors on hand in the studio. I just let the way I'm feeling each day guide me in what to create and the glass just takes over. I love most colors, the only color I really don't like is purple. Using Dichroic glass is a whole new adventure because the way the colors reflect and transmit color changes each time depending on firing times and other factors.

What inspires you? How are your inspirations expressed in your work?

Inspiration comes in so many ways. From the view outside my studio to the colors and textures of animals coats, to whatever music I'm listening to, to my surroundings, to memories of friends, to passages from books. Like Nike says: Just Do It! My mortgage payment is also a great source of inspiration

How much time is spent creating your pieces?

A typical day has me in the studio by 7 a.m. when I start the first kilns. I usually work in great chunks of time until around 9 or 10 p.m. Working from home is a great thing, but you also need to be really focused and motivated. Artists tend to be a little hermit-like too (at least I am), so finding Etsy was terrific.

What are your techniques and style and how do these relate to the medium?

I don't think I have a specific style or technique. I pretty much leave myself open to the moment and find total bliss in my work. I love making glass jewelry, but I also love making small dishes, chimes, ornaments and whatever else sings out to me.

What do you find most challenging about your work in the glass arts?

Finding enough space for everything is a real challenge! Between the kilns, the shelves (and shelves and shelves) of glass, the bandsaw, the grinder, and all the other "stuff", there's never enough room. Photographing my work is another major challenge for me and if I ever hit the lottery, first thing I'll do is hire someone to take pictures for me!

How did you find Etsy? What do you like most about it?

I was turned on to Etsy by another member a little over a year ago. The things I like most are the feeling of it being a true, nurturing art community and the friendships I've developed here. I think an annual Etsy convention would be an awesome thing ~ one giant trunk show and sleepover!